1 Thessalonians 5:16 – Verse of the Day 8/14/13

As with many of his letters, Paul closes 1 Thessalonians with a series of exhortations. Here Paul tells us to “rejoice always,” and in order to understand this verse it is important to remember that “joy” in the Bible is not the same as “happiness.” Jesus himself was sorrowful at times (John 11:35-38) and many of the Psalms are actually songs of lament (Psalms 28, 38, and 40, for example). Paul wants us to understand that we can rejoice at all times, even when we are sorrowful, by praising God and trusting Him in all circumstances.

It is easy to rejoice when times are good, but it is much harder to do so when life is hard. Spend some time in prayer, rejoicing before God and praising Him for all He has done for you. Ask Him for the strength to do this even when life is hard or when you do not feel like it. Thank the Lord that he is always consistent with us even when we are not.